


Mid-life crisis

by Dunloth



Category: Naruto
Genre: A shot of positivity, Birthday, Fluff and Nostalgia, Hatake Kakashi-centric, KakaIru Week 2019, M/M, Post-War, Pre-Relationship, and friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-19 12:01:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20656910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dunloth/pseuds/Dunloth
Summary: A short story about Kakashi's 40th birthday. Did he really think he could hide from everyone?





	Mid-life crisis

**Author's Note:**

> Written for KakaIru week 2019 and Kakashi's birthday bash.  
Prompt: Birthday.

Kakashi walks the streets of Konoha after a long busy paperwork day. He tries to go unnoticed, his Hokage mantle removed, hands in his pockets, enjoying the cool breeze on the small part of his face exposed to the weather. 

It’s a nice evening, with some stormy clouds hanging over the horizon, illuminated by the pastel colors of the twilight. Autumn is almost here, it’s been raining for some days, but today the rain has spared the village. The gentle wind smells like damp soil and fresh vegetation. It smells like the end of summer. 

It’s nice to be outside, to breathe some fresh air. It lifts a weight from Kakashi’s shoulders that he didn’t know was there. 

Today is Kakashi’s birthday. He didn’t prepare anything special, he really doesn’t feel like making too much of a fuss about it. Like the past years, Shizune and the rest of his staff “surprised” him with a not-too-sweet cake and a couple of candles for him to blow out, and congratulated him. That’s all the celebration he wants to get. He’s okay with calling it a day after that. He’s never been much of a party person.

His steps take him to the memorial stone, once more. This place is still one of his favorite ones when he wants to unwind, but it’s been some time since his last visit. He doesn’t come here as often as he did before the war. He feels more at peace with the world, in general, and with his ghosts, in particular.

“Father, I’m turning forty today. It’s a venerable age for a shinobi, isn’t it? I’m older now than you were at the end.”

None of his other precious people here reached the age of forty, by far. Minato and Kushina weren’t even thirty. And Rin… She will be fourteen eternally. Same as the Obito Kakashi admired for most of his life, until he came back to end the world. 

“I never expected to be alive at forty. To get off of ANBU alive. To survive all those S-rank missions. To survive Orochimaru, the Akatsuki. The sharingan. The war. But I did, and here I am. I never considered myself a lucky person at all. However, it seems I’m a lucky bastard after all. Funny.”

Well, Kakashi has made amends with his past and with the hand he was dealt in life. It was not an easy life, by any standards. But everything he’s gone through has taken him to where he stands right now. He’s okay with that.

He recently even started to think that the world may be a tiny bit a better place because of him and the things he’s done. That’s a whole new feeling for him. He will have to get used to it.

The intrusion of several known chakra signatures getting close pulls Kakashi out of his musings. He doesn’t turn to look at the newcomers. A knowing smile gets on his hidden face.

“You see? I told you my rival would be here!”

An arm drapes over his shoulders, a senbon enters the corner of his field of vision.

“Here’s the birthday boy. Did you think you could hide from us?”

“You weren’t trying too hard, Hatake. It’s like you wanted to be found. Are you ready to pay for the first round?” Anko pastes a kiss on his masked cheek, taking advantage of Genma’s lock that holds Kakashi in place.

“Happy birthday, senpai.” Yamato smiles, knowing well how Kakashi hates being in the spotlight like that, and enjoying the scene. The bastard.

The rest of the gang surrounds Kakashi, giving him their congratulations. Raidou pats his back a little too hard. Kurenai gives him a hug in spite of Genma still hanging from him. Gai’s boisterous wishes of youthful happiness can be heard above everything else. Naruto and Sakura wisely stay out of the commotion, by Yamato’s side, smiling fondly.

“Happy birthday, Kakashi-sama.” Kakashi turns his head when he hears Iruka’s voice. His bright smile warms Kakashi’s heart, as always. 

“Thank you,” he replies, thrilled by Iruka’s presence there. He didn’t expect him to be part of the mob harassing him on his birthday. It’s the fist time he’s joined it. “Join us for some drinks?” Kakashi says, hopeful. Because he’s been thinking for too long about asking Iruka out without finding the courage for it. And because, why not? Today he’s feeling bold. It must be a side effect of mid-life crisis.

He’s okay with it.

They all head to the bar district to start a long party night, Kakashi and Iruka walking together and making small talk. Kakashi thinks it’s a great way to start the rest of his life.


End file.
